


Magic and Blood

by shepavellan



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Biting, Blood Drinking, Burn baby burn, F/M, my oc lilith, slow burn what's that, this is a fucking inferno, vampire!apprentice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 15:41:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14168121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shepavellan/pseuds/shepavellan
Summary: Julian ended up closer to her, not remembering quite how that happened.  "What does it feel like for you?" He asked quietly, swallowing hard.  "Drinking blood?"She hummed in consideration, leaning towards him.  "Like a rush," she breathed.----I heard Julian and vampires and fuckin ran with itFeaturing my OC Lilith as a vampire.  Currently a one-shot but will continue if anyone is interested.





	Magic and Blood

**Author's Note:**

> So someone on tumblr mentioned something about Julian and vampires and I tried to stop myself I swear. _But here the fuck we are._
> 
> I can't seem to find the post that mentioned it though, if anyone sees it could you send me a link so I can post it here? Thanks! 
> 
> This is set before the events of the game, and I'm going with the idea that either the memory wipe we've seen has affected most of the town in some way, or specifically Mazelinka for some reason. The point is, none of what's happening in this story would be remembered later.

Julian's booted footsteps echoed back to him in the damp back alleys of Vesuvia. Moonlight filtered down to the sleeping city in intermittent hazy rays as thick clouds rolled past. The night was gloomy and the air stifling, a perfect complement to Julian's mood. Ever since accepting the task of finding a cure for the plague that was affecting the city and now the Count, his demeanor had grown ever more dour. Frustrating failures and dead ends had thrown him into a rotten state, and if that wasn't bad enough Count Lucio had to go and refute the one promising lead Julian had found on account of disgust (honestly, what was the man's problem with leeches?) Lately the servants of the castle had gotten less subtle with their whispered gossip as well, leaving the doctor to hear rumors of his own incompetence spread. The only peace he'd had as of late had been a nightly stroll, but even that seemed unable to conquer his grim outlook that evening. 

The number of people dying was rising every day, and with little promise of finding a cure, he and Asra had grown increasingly short with one another, culminating in a bitter argument earlier that day. They'd both said things they hadn't meant, Julian was sure, but the insults had hurt all the same. He winced thinking back to something he'd said about Asra's laziness, regretting the statement. He knew the magician worked just as hard as he did, even if he didn't always understand exactly what he was doing. Magic had never been Julian's strong suit. 

A quick, but distant pattering of footsteps somewhere to Julian's right briefly made him tense before they faded away. Sickness wasn't the only darkness lurking in the city. Rumors of a different kind had also spread, whispers that vampires had ghosted into the town late one night, and were now preying upon its citizens. While Julian had never met a vampire personally, he'd heard tales of them most of his life, and was inclined to believe they were real. Just...secretive. Of course, if one feasted on human blood, it was only natural they'd keep a low profile. Despite his belief however, he doubted that any were truly here – it wasn't the first time he'd heard such a rumor, and it wouldn't be the last. In all likelihood, the growing panic over the plague was causing such gossip, and for the most part he paid it no mind. 

Still, it couldn't hurt to be cautious. 

In time he reached the docks and sat with a sigh, the toes of his boots just brushing the water. Portia would be disappointed to see him in such a sorry state, he knew, but he couldn't seem to bring himself out of this despondency. If he could just catch a break- 

"Well you certainly look grim, stranger." 

Julian jolted from his reverie, nearly falling off the deck, only just managing to catch himself before glancing toward where the voice had come from. The clouds had passed over the moon again however, leaving him in near-impenetrable darkness. 

"Who's there?" He called out, cursing the croak in his voice. "Come out where I can see you." 

There was a beat of silence, long enough that Julian began to warily rise to his feet, before she finally stepped into his line of sight. She didn't walk out so much as she seemed to melt out of the shadows and for the life of him he could not figure out how she'd done such a thing. She was a dark-skinned woman, nearly as tall as he was – which was saying something – and he could see the glint of gold rings in her ears and on the side of her nose. One arm was crossed under her chest, the other raising a bent finger to her chin as she regarded him curiously. The clouds rolled by once more as Julian rose fully to his feet, and the moonlight caught on her eyes, reflecting the gold irises back at him like...like a predator's. An involuntary shiver rolled down his spine, a primal reaction he couldn't have held back if he'd tried. 

_She was a vampire._

They were real. 

She shifted her stance, shadows passing over her face enough to dull the reflection of her eyes, and he wondered if she'd done so intentionally. He'd heard that vampires had eyes such as this, often likened to those of wolves or exotic felines, and though most other stories of them varied wildly, the rumors of their eyes were nearly always the same. 

And if that wasn't enough to prove it, in the next instant she threw him a cheeky grin and exposed her unmistakable fangs to him. 

"Did I scare you, pretty boy? Sorry, comes with the territory. Can't really help how quiet my feet are." 

Eyeing the quirk of her lips where long canines had gleamed just a moment ago he slowly replied. "A...a bit, maybe. I wasn't expecting anyone else to be out this late." 

A shrug of her wide shoulders. "What can I say, I've never been much of an early riser." 

The second most oft-told rumor came to mind, their alleged aversion to sunlight. Unthinkingly, he blurted out "Is it true then? Does sunlight burn you?" 

Her eyebrows went up in surprise at the abrupt question, but she didn't seem offended. "Not as badly as some people say I think. It doesn't so much burn as it _itches._ Then again, I've never been in sunlight long enough to know if it would be any worse than that." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I have been told that prolonged exposure can be dangerous, but I don't know exactly how." 

Julian cleared his throat, uncomfortably. "Sorry if that was a rude question, I can't really help being curious." He offered her a half-hearted smile. "Comes with the territory." 

She tilted her then, looking curious. "Excuse me?" 

"Oh – right sorry – I meant-" Julian stumbled over his words for a moment, face burning. "I'm a doctor you see. Most people in town know me by now, I suppose I've...sort of gotten used to not having to introduce myself." 

"Ah," she replied, with another fang-revealing grin. Another shiver went down Julian's spine...though not entirely in fear, he noticed with another blush. "Well doctor, as you'll find, I'm new in town, so I'm quite unaware of who you are." With that, she extended a graceful hand. "My name is Lilith." 

Julian glanced at her hand uncertainly, politeness warring with ingrained fear. While many told wild stories about vampires, he had no idea what anyone said about them was true, and what was hearsay. There were just as many tales about them being bloodthirsty monsters as there were of them being friendly and unexpectedly helpful. Not to mention quite a number about them seducing humans and tricking them into giving up their blood. That was where the fear lay he supposed, that somehow he could be misled and end up fed upon...though he couldn’t deny a certain illicit thrill at the idea. The problem was once again the vast number and variation to the stories. Some claimed that vampires only drank a small amount of a person's blood...others still said they would drain you of all of it, given the chance. 

Warily, Julian grasped her hand to give it a slow shake, surprised at the strength in her firm grip. "Julian Devorak," he replied at last. 

"Julian Devorak," she repeated, as though tasting his name on her lips. Her husky voice made his name sound...he couldn't think of the right words, only knew that a curious warmth was spreading from his fingers to his chest, and noticed distantly that she hadn't let go yet. Maybe this had been a bad idea. "Well Doctor Devorak, I hope you don't find this insulting," she let his fingers slip out of her grasp then, but the sensation of her hand in his lingered. "But you rather look like someone pissed in your coffee." 

That surprised a bark of laughter from him. "Thankfully no, though I wouldn't put it past my bartender to have pissed in my drink a few hours ago." A frown pulled at his mouth again. "I'm afraid I wasn't a very good customer tonight." 

"Oh?" 

"Despite the stories you hear, I don't think barkeeps are terribly fond of their patrons spilling their woes to them," he explained wryly. 

A low laugh escaped her. "Didn't have a shoulder to cry on?" 

Reminded of his earlier argument with Asra once more, Julian sighed. "The one person who might have listened I'm afraid I insulted rather badly today." He thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose my sister might have, but she's away visiting our mother." 

"I know we've only just met," Lilith began, her voice closer than Julian had expected. Having turned to gaze out over the ocean, he hadn't noticed her step closer. She hadn't been kidding about being quiet. "But I've been told I'm a good listener, if you'd like to get something more off your chest." 

He laughed bitterly. "I think I've embarrassed myself quite enough for one night." He ran a hand through his curls. "And to be honest, it's rather nice to know that one person in this town isn't aware of my tragic failures." _Yet._

"My, aren't you mysterious," she cooed, eyes glinting with amusement. "I've always liked mysteries." 

"If rumors keep circulating the way they have been, I won't remain mysterious for long," he grumbled. 

She laughed again, a low sound that seemed to drift through the air and right into his lungs. "What an odd thing to say," she mused, and continued at his curious look. "I've been alive quite a bit longer than one might think, Doctor Devorak," she said, ironically implying the truth of yet another rumor. "And if I've learned anything in that time, it's that the same people who love to gossip, love to embellish. Anything I may hear about you that isn't _from_ you will likely be _highly_ exaggerated, if even true." She stepped closer again, and laid a hand on his arm, that curiously warm feeling spreading once again from the spot. "Besides, I'd much rather get to know you personally, not secondhand." 

Flushing under her intense gaze, Julian stuttered out a reply. "Y-you don't even know me." 

Her eyes flashed once more in the moonlight. _"Exactly."_

Unbidden, his gaze drifted to Lilith's dark lips, which lifted in a coy smirk at the action. Her fingers shifted to grip the collar of his jacket, and his breath was coming faster, wondering if she was going pull his throat down near enough to - 

The sound of boxes falling and a sharp curse from far too nearby made Lilith jump back, eyes scanning the darkness keenly. Startling though it had been, she looked more fearful than he thought seemed necessary. 

"What is it?" He asked, voice pitched low. 

"You may not know much of my people doctor," she whispered, barely audible. "But some know all too much, and would use that knowledge against us." She turned her gaze back to him then, and seemed to search him for a moment, though he didn't know for what. She appeared to come to some decision then, with a little nod to herself. "My family and I are being hunted, by a group of people bent on eliminating my kind. When we heard of the plague in Vesuvia, we decided to come here, hoping that fear of the sickness would keep the hunters at bay." She grimaced, and continued "But we've heard that one has followed us anyway, either fearless or foolish." 

"Perhaps both," Julian couldn't help saying. 

She gave him a bitter smile. "Yes." Her teeth bit at her lower lip uncertainly then, drawing Julian's eye to the flash of her canines. "I...I was being followed earlier tonight, and I thought I'd shaken them, but now I'm not so sure. I haven't been to this part of the town before – do you know somewhere I can hide?" 

There was another indistinct voice, closer that time, and the look in Lilith's eyes became a bit panicked. Throwing caution to the wind, Julian grabbed her wrist and led her away from the docks, back into the city. The voices grew more distant as they hurried through the dim streets, and Lilith had no problem keeping up with his long strides, though he thought she looked a few tones greyer than before. Perhaps all vampires looked that way? 

Finally he spied the back window of Mazelinka's home, which he'd used to get in after various times staying out past the local curfew – that was how he'd met the startled woman actually. That had been an interesting night. 

He ushered Lilith in ahead of him, following after when she'd steadied herself on the floor. Almost immediately after climbing in himself, he heard Mazelinka call out to him. "Julian? Is that you you slippery thing?" 

Lilith turned a curiously amused eye to him. "Wait here," he said quietly, and rushed to meet the woman before she saw their guest. "Mazelinka," he greeted happily, giving her calloused hand a fond squeeze. "How have you been, dear?" 

"Just fine, not that you would know. I haven't seen you in ages, where have you been?" She scolded. 

He held up his hands in protest. "Just busy with work, I swear! The Count isn't exactly known for going easy on people." 

"No, he isn't," Mazelinka agreed on a sigh. "Really though Julian, you'd work yourself to death if I let you. Now, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?" 

"What makes you think I'm in trouble?" He asked with feigned innocence, and wondered if he imagined the snort he heard from the other room. 

"It's not even past curfew and you yourself said you've been too busy to see me. Come on, out with it." 

"Alright, alright," he relented. "Though, it's not exactly me who's in trouble. I...need a favor." 

"Don't come to see me for weeks, and then come 'round just to ask for a favor?" She groused. 

Julian flushed guiltily. "Ah, well..." 

Mazelinka rolled her eyes. "Just tell me what you need." 

"She just needs a place to stay for the night," Julian said, leading Mazelinka to the other room with a hand at her back. "Er, and possibly the day, I suppose." 

"Why would – oh." 

Moonlight was streaming in fully through the window in the kitchen, and with Lilith at the angle she was, her eyes once again reflected sharply as she met Mazelinka's gaze, an unmistakable mark of what she was. The two women were silent for a long moment, the air tense as Julian waited for one of them to speak. 

"Do you have family here?" Mazelinka finally asked. 

"Yes," Lilith replied warily. 

"Are they safe for the night?" 

"Yes." 

Mazelinka gave a short nod. "Alright then. Stay till the sun's set enough that you're safe to leave, not a moment sooner. And you," she said, rounding on Julian. "Find out where her family is and let them know she's alright, they're probably worried sick." 

Lilith immediately began to protest "Oh, that's not necessa-" 

"That's enough of that," Mazelinka cut her off. "Bedroom's that way," she said with a point. "Make yourself comfortable." With that, she shuffled back to the main room, leaving Lilith and Julian in a somewhat awkward silence. 

"...So that would be Mazelinka," Julian finally said. 

Lilith chuckled. "I like her." 

"She's difficult not to like," he agreed with a grin, leading her to the room Mazelinka had pointed out. Lilith sat heavily on the bed while he lit a couple of candles for her, glancing curiously at her face when she wasn't looking. She looked paler still, and there was a tightness about her mouth that hadn't been there before. "Are you...alright?" He asked, explaining when she turned to him. "You look a bit grey." 

"Ah," she said, looking uncomfortable. "I just...I haven't fed tonight. I can go a night without though." 

"You haven't – oh." Julian stopped at once, catching her meaning. She needed blood. Realization dawned then. "...Is that what you were doing out at the docks?" 

There was a long moment of silence. "...Yes," she said finally. "Not that I was going to attack anyone or anything. We're _civilized."_ Her voice had taken on a defensive edge. "And we don't kill who we feed from either, if that's what you're thinking. As a matter of fact there are a number of people perfectly willing to...donate, for lack of a better word. But feeding from them too often could be dangerous, for a number of reasons, and we only know a handful of people in this town. We need to find others." She looked away with a pained wince. "I was going to _ask_ you." 

"...I believe you," Julian said, and he did. He wasn't sure why, and maybe he was being foolish, but he'd felt the strength in her hands, and she hadn't been the slightest bit winded when they'd run here. He had no doubt she could have taken what she needed from him at any time if she'd wanted to. He slowly lowered himself to sit beside her. "How...how does it work? You feeding, I mean." 

She tilted her head at him. "Pretty straightforward. Teeth go in, blood comes out." 

He gave a nervous laugh. "I mean...does it hurt? How much do you take?" 

She pondered for a moment. "It varies depending on the size of one's fangs and the pain tolerance of the donor really. Some people sort of wince through the whole thing, others..." Her gaze drifts down to his neck then, then up to his flushed cheeks with a smirk. "Others have very different reactions." Lilith leans back on her hands. "As for how much we take, never enough to hurt anyone, though occasionally there's a bit of dizziness afterward. We're sure to feed them and let them rest when that happens." 

Julian ended up closer to her, not remembering quite how that happened. "What does it feel like for you?" He asked quietly, swallowing hard. "Drinking blood?" 

She hummed in consideration, leaning towards him. "Like a rush," she breathed. "Especially when I've exerted myself like this." He assumed she meant their mad dash earlier. "Someone willingly giving you their energy, feeling the essence of their life flow into you and make you stronger..." She grinned again, fangs sharp and dangerous and _thrilling._ "There's nothing like it." 

There was a strained moment of silence, the air seeming to vibrate with tension, before Lilith broke it. 

"Julian-" 

"Yes," he's already answering before she'd even asked, and her eyes found his throat again. 

"Are you sure-" 

_"Yes,"_ he repeated, and she's on him in a shot, moving fast enough to startle him briefly. Her cool fingers carded through his hair, and he whimpered as she licked her lips in anticipation. She grinned at the sound, and gripped the base of his skull turn his head to the side, examining her target. He flushed under her gaze, breath coming in short bursts. She leaned down to run her nose up the thick muscle in his neck to the soft spot under his ear and he shuddered. He feels her shoulders shake in amusement. 

"One might say you've thought of this before doctor," she crooned. 

"I'd...be lying if I said I haven't," he admitted. 

"Well then," she said, giving his curls an experimental tug, and humming in pleasure when he groaned. "I promise to make the experience memorable." 

She kissed him then, and he moaned into her mouth, hands coming up to press to her lower back and cradle her head, tugging her closer. She complied eagerly, arching into his embrace, tongue softly stroking his. She pulled away to press little kisses across his cheek to his jaw, and Julian whimpered again, letting his head drop to the side in surrender. Her lips grazed across his skin, and he shivered when he felt the lightest prick of her teeth. The hand at her back pulled her forward. 

_"Please,"_ he begged helplessly. 

She laughed softly in his ear again, and he bit at his lower lip. "If you insist." 

Her teeth sank into his throat. 

Pleasure shuddered through his veins from the points of her bite, and he buried his face in her shoulder to muffle his sounds of delight. She stroked the back of his neck tenderly with one hand, and the other had his shoulder in a vice-like grip, keeping him still for her assault. Which was probably a good thing, because his hips were involuntarily twitching up into her, even as his neck had gone pliant for her bite. His eyes shut as she continued to pull at his neck, and for a moment, he thought he knew what she meant when she told him how it felt, only in reverse. He felt the pull of his energy draining away, into her, and could actually feel her skin grow warmer as his blood fueled her. Something about knowing that he had done that for her made him feel a sort of head rush. Then again, maybe that was blood loss. 

Nevertheless, he couldn't bring himself to stop her, and when she finally removed her fangs from his throat he nearly pulled her back with the hand at her head, which he now realizes has been carding gently through her dark curls. She gives a slow lick to the mark on his neck, and to his surprise felt the holes begin to close. "H-How...?" He tried to ask, but his voice was shaky and small. 

He thought she may have shivered before pulling back. "Healing properties in our saliva," she explained, sounding a bit out of breath herself. Color had returned to her cheeks, and her eyes were dancing. "So, everything you hoped it would be?" 

He laughed brightly. "I think you'll find that quite exceeded my expectations." 

She hummed pleasantly. "Enough that you'd like a repeat performance sometime?" 

He _just_ managed to keep from blurting out an enthusiastic _'yes, please!'_ "What did you have in mind?" 

"Like I said before, we have...donors. Friends, willing to give up their blood once in a while, to help us. It helps to have a number of people to choose from though, so we have to take as little as possible from each person." 

That made perfect sense, he agreed, but a stupid part of him wishes for a moment that he could let her drink from him every day. He pushed the foolish idea aside. "I...don't think I'd mind that at all." 

She grinned. A look he was becoming fond of very quickly. "Lucky me then." She dropped a kiss to his nose, making him smile, and moved to sit beside him once more. "Thank you. I know I said I'd be okay for a night but I didn't get to feed last night either. It was growing a bit painful." 

"Do you only need to feed once a night, then?" He asked, gently feeling the spot where she'd bitten him. The holes were already nearly closed. 

"Most of us," she replied. "Some may need to twice, depending on their size." 

He had about a million other questions he'd like to ask, but the hour was growing late, and if he wanted to find her family, tell them where she was, and make it back to the palace before sunrise, he really needed to be going. "Where is your family staying?" 

"On the south side of town," she said, toeing off her boots. "At an inn near this magic shop, called..." Her brow knit in thought, and a little wrinkle appeared on her nose. Julian fought the urge to rub it away. "Hmm, there was a snake on the sign, ah, what was it called..." 

He laughed again. "Never you mind, I know the place you're talking about." Shaking his head at the coincidence, he made for the entryway. "I'll let them know you're alright and that you'll be back tomorrow. I'll try to be back here before sunset to see you off too." 

"Don't run yourself ragged," she scolded, sounding disturbingly like Mazelinka for a moment. "Do get some sleep, please." 

"I'm quite used to going without sleep," he said flippantly, and grinned at the glare she shot him. "Fine, fine, I'll get some rest." 

"Promise?" 

"Promise." 

"Good," she said with a nod. "Goodnight then, doctor." 

"Julian," he insisted, and flushed once more. "I...I liked the way you said it." 

Her eyes hooded for a moment. "Goodnight, Julian." 

It sounded just as delicious as the first time. 

"Goodnight, Lilith."

**Author's Note:**

> I can’t believe it's 2018 and I just wrote a vampire fic. It wasn't even smut. 
> 
> Who am I. 
> 
> For the moment I'm leaving this as a one-shot, but I have some ideas to take it further if anyone is interested. Let me know if you'd like to see more!


End file.
